Four men in ARP uniform lifting a patient supported in a Neil Robertson stretcher in a demonstration

Photograph taken 30 September 1940 © Source: Historic England Archive ref: med01_01_0973

A patient strapped in the Neil Robertson naval pattern stretcher. Note how the bamboo slats allow the canvas to enfold the patient and yet keep him in a rigid position. The patient can be carried or slung in any position. The stretcher is designed for removing an injured patient from a space where access is too limited to permit the use of regular stretchers. Made of semi-rigid canvas and supported by slats, the Neil Robertson stretcher wraps firmly around the patient and is secured using buckled straps. To prevent the patient from swaying when being lifted or lowered, a guideline can be tied to their ankles. It is still widely used by the Royal and Merchant Navies, and various rescue services, today.

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Period

World War Two (1939 - 1945)

Themes

Bottles of dried plasma being packed together with the giving sets in special cases for transport to the Middle East or where needed. The outbreak of World War Two had prompted work investigating the division of blood into its constituent parts, because whole blood was difficult to transport to overseas battlefields. Plasma is the fluid in the blood containing proteins that help blood to clot. Liquid plasma, though more efficient to transport than whole blood, was similarly difficult to convey to battle and administer in the field. Dried plasma was introduced, with the benefits of stability, more economical storage and transportation, and ease of preparation. The “dried plasma sets” packed and despatched overseas consisted of a bottle of dried plasma, a tin box containing sterile giving set, and a bottle of sterile water. It took minutes for the dried plasma to be adequately dissolved in the water; concentrated plasma could be obtained by adding less distilled water.

Four men in ARP uniform lifting a patient supported in a Neil Robertson stretcher in a demonstration

Location

Period

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